Conditions

Children In Low Income Families More Prone To Asthma, ADHD

By Abbie Kraft | Update Date: Feb 15, 2017 07:00 PM EST

Low-income families are already struggling to make their ends meet. According to a new study that surfaced, low-income families are not only burdened by their daily expenses, but their children are more prone to developing asthma and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD.

Health released a report where it was pointed out that children in low-income families are more prone to developing asthma and ADHD compared to their peers that are well off. Though these children are said to be burdened with ADHD and asthma, children from wealthier families on the other hands, are often diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or ASD, but their parents are more privileged to have them properly diagnosed and treated.

"Children in poverty are more at risk for adverse health outcomes, and we need to keep that in mind when we make policy and programs that will benefit children, particularly if they are poor," lead researcher Dr. Christian Pulcini stated.

Pulcini and his team focused on the study of the data that they acquired from 2003 to 2012 wherein a federal survey was conducted. It was mentioned that three of the conditions that significantly increased are asthma, ADHD, and autism. The study then took a turn after poverty was added as a contributing factor to these conditions.

It was revealed that asthma rates among children that are living with families under the federal poverty line of 100 percent, significantly increased compared to 15 percent of families living between 100 percent and 199 percent of the FPL. Families that are 400 percent above the poverty level are said to have lower cases of ADHD in children compared to families that have love income.

Asthma risk among low-income families is said to be influenced by the child's living condition. As for children diagnosed with autism, however, it was mentioned that families that are financially stable are more privileged in having their child screen compared to parents in low-income families that would assume that their child has ADHD when it fact it is undiagnosed with autism. Thus it is implied that children in low-income families are more prone to asthma and ADHD.

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